TotalEnergies Corbion has commercially launched Luminy® FOAM 50F, a high melt strength polylactic acid (PLA) grade for extrusion foamed packaging applications, targeting fresh food trays and food service containers. Announced on July 7, 2026, the material is designed as a lower-carbon, circular alternative to extruded polystyrene (XPS) while operating on existing XPS extrusion lines with minimal modification.
The company said the product was developed for trays used for meat, fish and similar fresh food applications, as well as clamshells and bowls for food service. It aims to help packaging producers respond to expanding regulatory restrictions on polystyrene in food applications without disrupting established manufacturing processes.
According to TotalEnergies Corbion, Luminy® FOAM 50F is bio-based, industrially compostable, recyclable, and free from styrene, PFAS and persistent microplastics. Its high melt strength supports stable foam production without additional additives, chain extenders or reactive processing, enabling low-density foam structures with uniform cell morphology while maintaining processing efficiency on standard equipment.
Laurent Daligault, Global Packaging Segment Leader at TotalEnergies Corbion, said, “With polystyrene bans accelerating, this is one of the first solutions positioned as a true industrial-scale replacement, not a niche material. Luminy® FOAM 50F enables converters and brand owners to adopt a truly sustainable drop-in solution to XPS, both in terms of processing and product functionality. It is also good for our planet, with our sugarcane-based PLA delivering at least a 70% reduction in carbon footprint compared to XPS foam parts.”
Hao Ding, Global Marketing Director at TotalEnergies Corbion, said the development reflects the company’s commitment to sustainable innovation and focus on high-performance materials. Luminy® FOAM 50F is available for commercial orders globally. It has FDA and Korean Food Contact approval and can be used in countries following those regulations, while other markets can use the material for non-food applications with technical implementation support.